Tense Sudan, South Sudan Talks Enter 2nd Day

An oil well oozes crude oil after it was hit by a shrapnel from a bomb dropped by fighter jets at the El Nar oil field in South Sudan's Unity State, March 3, 2012. South Sudan accused Khartoum of bombing two oil wells in a northern area, which a Sudanese

Talks to resolve tension between Sudan and South Sudan have entered a second day, after negotiations Tuesday ended in shouting.

A VOA correspondent at the scene, in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, reports the talks are in a delicate stage as the sides try to resolve simmering disputes over oil, borders, and citizenship issues.

Talks on the status of southerners living in the north turned into a shouting match Tuesday. A participant said those particular negotiations are probably over for now, though the sides continue to discuss the oil and boundary disputes.

South Sudan has accused Sudan of charging excessive fees for the use of oil pipelines that run north to the Red Sea.

On Wednesday, South Sudan's oil minister, Stephen Dhieu Dau, said the land-locked country is considering building a temporary pipeline along the Nile river to the capital, Juba. The oil would then be transported on trucks to ports in Kenya and Djibouti.

The dispute over fees has prompted South Sudan to shut down all oil production, a move analysts say is likely to financially hurt both countries.

On Tuesday, the U.N. Security Council expressed "grave concern" about cross-border violence between the two Sudans. The world body said it has reports of troop movements and airstrikes along the poorly-defined border, and demanded that all parties cease military operations in the area.

The council also urged the countries to respect a non-aggression pact they signed less than a month ago.

The African Union is mediating what are scheduled to be 10 days of talks between Sudan and South Sudan.

Much of the tension between the countries stems from the oil dispute. The South took over most Sudanese oil production when it became independent last July.

The sides also disagree on borders of the oil-producing Abyei region, and accuse each other of supporting the other's rebel groups.

Comments

by: Anyang Riak

March 07, 2012 10:45 PM

You're dead wrong Mr Sunm Kalotori to suggest so; it's those Arabs of Khartoum who are confused, but not us here in South Sudan. Because, we know what we are fighting for since inception. And our mission still remains the same. And we will press on until the very end. Got it!

by: Robert Makoi

March 07, 2012 2:12 PM

Sudan is predominantly islam, South Sudan is not predominantly islam; there would be peace if South isolates islam and oil; because oil drives islam and muslims to the gun.

by: Kiir

March 07, 2012 8:19 AM

That would not be any matter, the fact is that Sudan now are in between balance of war against South Sudan. Have ask yourself about N Sudan evil war against the civilians whom are killed everyday in South. particulary inAbyei, blue Nile, Nuba mountain??? I would appreciate if the whole world can stand behind the South as the younger nation whom needs support inorder to protect their sovereignty.

by: sunm kalotori

March 07, 2012 7:19 AM

south Sudan and north Sudan are actual confuse by political engineers who have interest on Sudan South Sudan economic But my question is that do the world feel happy if Sudan is a field of instability?

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